India reports 3.62 lakh new Covid-19 cases, over 4,000 deaths in 24 hours

With 3,62,727 new cases in the last 24 hours, the tally of infections has touched 2,37,03,665.

The Covid-19 toll has further increased to 2,58,317 with 4,120 deaths reported from across the country of 1.3 billion people in the same span of time.

In a positive picture, 3,52,181 Covid-19 patients have recovered in 24 hours between Wednesday and Thursday mornings leading the active cases to now stand at 37,10,525.

Meanwhile, the Drugs Controller General of India (DGCI) has approved the clinical trials of indigenous anti-Covid vaccine, Covaxin, for children aged two to 18.

Bharat Biotech, the manufacturer of Covaxin, has stated it will carry out the trials on "525 healthy volunteers".

Mounting pressure on the central government which is severely criticised over its handling of the second wave of Covid-19, 12 major opposition parties have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding that the Centre takes immediate action to combat the massive second wave of Coronavirus which is creating havoc in the Asian country, leaving the heath structure overwhelmed and accounting for an unprecedented number of deaths.

Calling the pandemic an "apocalyptic human tragedy", the opposition parties suggested a string of measures that the Centre can implement to break the chain of infections including the distribution of free vaccines, a stop to the work on the Central Vista project and a repeal of farm laws.